The Iron Republic
by Mortem Sanctus
Summary: Redwallers have explored many of the lands beyond Mossflower wood. However, what lies to the East has always been a mystery. Follow Brother Blase as he gets sent with with several mysterious beasts to explore the fledgling civilization across the ocean, where the culture centers around trade and exploration, but war is never a stranger. Rated T for violence.
1. The Discovery

_**TWIG: I have recently been reminded of my love for the Redwall series of books, so I decided to make myself a fanfic for it. I hope you all enjoy!**_

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, I'd be sailing around a yacht right now, not writing fanfics. Have a nice day.**

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_Summer of the Red Dawn_

_It has been many seasons since I went on my journey. Most of the friends I had with me have long since died of old age, in battle, or at sea. I can still remember their voices and faces as if I'd seen them yesterday. __Alas, memories may fade, but friends never truly die. _

_Much else has changed since then as well. I was only a lowly brother, and now I am Abbey recorder! Things change with the times, but the red sandstone of Redwall Abbey still holds strong. _

_Many names and faces were added to my recollections as I walked along the wall tops today. The wind on the plains, the rush of the river, the smell of the ocean...all dance about my senses as I remember adventures in distant lands. Oh! But I have gotten ahead of myself. Old age does cloud our minds. Let me start at the beginning..._

* * *

Dawn broke over the misty forest of Mossflower woodland as Brother Blase of Redwall Abbey collected berries along the old south road.

It was the Spring of the Misty Sunrise, and this day was just like the many before it. The young mouse smiled at the beauty all about him as the sun's rays slowly dispelled the mists.

He had wandered farther from the Abbey than others usually did, but Blase had always been the adventurous type. This had led to several problems when he was a dibbun, but would serve him well in the weeks ahead. For unbeknownst to Brother Blase, he was going to meet some very special beasts today.

As he walked along the path away from the Abbey, the young mouse saw a rising smoke plume in the distance. His curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way towards it. Using techniques that he'd learned from the Long Patrol hares that had come through the last summer, Blase crept through the underbrush, his long, dark green robe providing ample camouflage for him.

Bobbing and weaving, just as he'd been taught, the mouse made his way towards the smoke. Hearing voices nearby, he slowed his pace, and took special care to keep silent. Peeking his head over a log, Blase gasped at what he saw.

Several beasts in shining metal armor sat in the middle of the small clearing before him, cooking something in a small pot on the fire. Their armor was highly decorative, with a high crested helmet that cut off at their brows. A chain mail mesh was drawn across their faces, concealing everything except for the eyes. They were wearing a blue cloth tunic over more chain mail that covered their upper bodies down to a short distance past their hips. Simple cloth boots covered their feet, and their legs were protected by a plate metal shinguard.

There were five in total, each with an identical sword laying on the ground next to them. Five crossbows were off to one side, staying upright by leaning against one another. The weapons were beautifully crafted, but still simple in design. They seemed to be made more for practicality than show.

However, this wasn't what made Blase shiver as his blood ran ice cold. One of the beasts wasn't wearing a helmet, and had revealed himself to be a ferret!

Blase slowly crept away from the clearing and shot off back to the Abbey. He had to warn the Abbot that there were vermin in Mossflower!

* * *

Within minutes of Blase's arrival, the entire Abbey was on full alert.

Skipper and his otters, who had been visiting, were up on the walls watching for any signs of activity. The large, brazen Matthias and Methuselah bells tolled their frantic warning throughout all of Mossflower.

In the small clearing a few miles down the South Road, the beasts in the strange armor all looked towards the sound of the bells. "What is that, sir?" the ferret asked, puzzled.

"I don't know," one of his armored companions said, picking up his weapons, "let's go check it out."

Barely two minutes had passed, and the clearing was abandoned. There was nary a sign that anyone had been there, save the disturbed earth where a fire had once been.

* * *

Blase stood nervously on the wall top, examining the woodland for signs of the vermin. Skipper, who had seen the smoke as well, was watching with him, trying to spot the creatures in the strange armor that Blase has seen.

"Are ye sure they're out there, matey?" Skipper asked, looking at Blase.

"I-I-I'm sure," Blase answered, fidgeting nervously, "I saw a ferret in their group."

The large otter nodded and continued to examine the path. The old bell ringer, a mouse named Aibert, had climbed up to the very top of his bell tower, giving him a commanding view of the surrounding country. He spotted a group of five beasts moving slowly up the path, and yelled, "Beasts on the path!"

Blase looked forward, and peered over the parapet to see the first of the group come around the corner. They were spread out from each other, and were constantly scanning the woodlands around them.

The one in the middle waved a paw at the beasts on the Abbey walls. "Hello!" he yelled, "What was with the bells?"

"Stop right were ye are!" Skipper yelled, glaring at the beasts, "Now whoever is in charge, walk forward slow like! Hold yer paws up, and don't even think about reaching for those weapons!"

The five beasts looked at each other, before one of them said, "Don't worry, guys. We've been through this drill before."

The one who had spoken slowly walked forwards, his paws held high above his head. Once he'd gotten within a few yards of the wall, Skipper ordered him to stop.

"Take off yer helmet!" he yelled, "Let us see yer face!" The beast slowly put his hands down, and undid the straps on his helmet. He lifted the crested helm, revealing himself to be a mouse.

Blase was dumbfounded. "I-I could have sworn there was a ferret in that group!" The mouse on the ground just smiled.

"The rest of you!" Skipper yelled, "Take off yer helmets as well!" The four others looked to their leader, who nodded. They slowly undid their helmets, and removed them.

Skipper's jaw dropped, as he gazed upon the most mixed up group he'd ever seen. There was, in fact, a male ferret in the group. However, the rest of them were nothing more than another mouse, an otter, and a young female squirrel.

"We mean you no harm," the mouse leader said, calmly, "I am Sergeant Vectis of the first light infantry division. We represent the senate of the great city Ferrum Urbem. This is my squad, a light scouting unit on a map making mission. May we come inside?"

"We have to ask the Abbot!" Blase yelled down.

"Ask me what?" Abbot Mayno had appeared out of nowhere, and was looking curiously at Blase.

"These beasts want to come inside," Skipper responded, nodding at the squad on the ground.

"Then let them in!" Mayno said, calmly, "Redwall's hospitality is always open to those who ask."

Blase and Skipper both nodded. "Open the gates!" the otter yelled down to one of his crew members next to the gatehouse. The gate swung open.

"I thank you!" Vectis yelled, holding his helmet at his side, "Come on guys! They're letting us in!"

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**_TWIG: Hope you enjoyed this! Your opinion is highly desired, so please review! (Anonymous reviews are on, by the way.)_**


	2. Ferrum Reipublicae

_**MoSa: Hello everyone! This chapter tells the story of that mysterious country to the East...enjoy!**_

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Blase sat in the great hall, amazed at the sheer amount of food the beasts were eating. They rivaled even the hares of Salamandastron in appetite.

Skipper leaned over to the mouse, and whispered, "Where do they put it all?"

The ferret, who's name had turned out to be Casus, looked up and said, "We've gone five days on nothing but breakfast. Pardon us if we're hungry." Skipper and Blase were shocked. How could he have heard them?

"Don't worry, you two," Vectis said, laughing, "He's got the sharpest ears in our regiment. You can't say much without him hearing it." The ferret turned his head back to his food, and continued to eat in silence.

The pretty young squirrelmaid, Ederra, was surrounded by a small pack of young male squirrels, all offering her help. Abbot Mayno had chased the males off several times, but they kept returning anyways. The poor maiden was overwhelmed by the amount of attention being given to her. "Try some of this, Miss Ederra!" "Miss Ederra! You've got to have some of this! It's the cellar's best cordial!" "Don't listen to him, Miss Ederra, try these tarts! Cook makes them special for travelers!"

The group was suddenly pushed away by the otter, Tego. "Leave our mapmaker alone!" he said, "I'm not in the mood to see her do to you what she did to the last group of males who were too pushy!"

Fortis, the other mouse of the squad, nodded in agreement. "Aye," he said, nodding at Ederra, "I've never seen such savagery. Removing their tails was a great touch." The males were horrified. They scattered, now afraid of what the young squirrelmaid would do to them if she got angry.

"Thanks," Ederra said, smiling at her friends, "They were very...pushy."

"It's our job to protect ye, lass," Tego said, retaking his seat next to Casus, "This being yer first time out, and all."

Blase was confused, and a bit disgusted. "Did she really take off their tails?" he asked Fortis, in shock.

The other mouse laughed at him, and said, "Nah, we just made it up to scare away the young'uns."

Skipper looked over at the squirrelmaid, curiously. "This is your first what?" he asked.

Ederra smiled brightly at the otter. "It's my first time out on a mission!" she said, excitedly, "I've been training for almost two seasons to become a mapmaker, and I was assigned to the First Light Infantry not even two months ago!"

Vectis looked over at Skipper. "If only she'd show a little more enthusiasm, eh?" he said, sarcastically.

Ederra glared at the mouse sergeant. "Excuse me, Sarge," she said, affronted, "but weren't you excited on your first mission?"

Tego and Fortis looked at each other, and began to laugh. Vectis blushed deeply beneath his fur. "What's wrong?" Blase asked, "What happened on your first mission?"

Tego began to tell the story, in between bouts of laughter. "Sarge's battalion was sent on a scouting assignment back during the last war with the Fire Coast Corsairs," he said, "During their first engagement, Sarge shot himself in the leg with his own crossbow, and was sent home on medical leave!"

"Shutup, Tego," Vectis said, hiding his face behind a mug of ale. Blase and Ederra were both laughing, and even Casus cracked a smile.

"So," Skipper said, changing the subject, "where did you all say you were from?"

Vectis, relieved that they were no longer making fun of him, was more than happy to answer the otter's question. "We come from the Ferrum Reipublicae, a nation far to the east of here."

"The east?" Blase said, intrigued, "None of our maps go very far that way. The forests were too dangerous to explore."

Vectis nodded. "They were," he said, grinning, "until we showed up."

Blase was intrigued. "Do you mind if I grab the Abbey Recorder?" he asked, "I'm sure she'd love to hear that story."

"Sure," Vectis replied, "but can we go someplace a little less crowded?"

The abbey mouse nodded, and stood. "We can go to the gatehouse," he said, "It's the building right next to the gate. I'll get Abbot Mayno and our recorder, Gravadora. We'll meet you there."

Vectis stood, and ordered his squad to stay put while he was gone. They all nodded, and returned to the food with gusto.

* * *

A few minutes later, Blase arrived in the gatehouse with Mayno and Gravadora in tow. Vectis was inside, waiting patiently for them to show up.

"Vectis," Abbot Mayno said, "meet Gravadora, our Abbey Recorder." Gravadora was a middle aged hedgehog, who had taken over after the previous recorder's death a few seasons back.

Vectis stood and bowed low. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, ma'am," he said, shaking her paw.

The recorder nodded, brusquely, and began to search the papers on her desk for a blank sheet and a quill. "So, Mr. Vectis," she said, cutting directly to the chase, "Tell me more of this Ferrum Reipublicae."

The mouse nodded, and sat down. Blase and Mayno followed suit. "Let me start at the beginning," Vectis said.

* * *

"_Long ago, the east was split into several small nations, all vying for power. One in particular was more brutal than most. _

_The leaders were oppressive. Terrorizing the civilians, and plundering as they wished. They were hated by all that were under them, and eventually the peasants came together in rebellion. They rose up, and killed their oppressive overlords, freeing themselves by force. After they took over the capital of the nation, the rebels renamed it Ferrum Urbem. __To deter tyranny from the government, they formed a Republic, where the citizens voted for officials that would make the laws for them. _

_Many of the nations around them latched on to this idea, and overthrew their own governments. All of these nations then willingly joined the original, causing their size to increase immensely. _

_Each former nation became a province, with two representatives in the main senate at Ferrum Urbem. Each province was also ruled by an elected governor, who oversaw the more local matters. _

_However, as more and more lands joined up, the other nations began to realize that the republic was dangerous to their power. They banded together into a united force, and attacked. _

_The republic's standing army wasn't nearly big enough to meet this new threat head on, so they took to the only strategy left open to them. Guerrilla warfare. They melted into the woods and plains, attacking supply trains, raiding villages, burning crops, and recruiting soldiers from the enemy lands. _

_It took almost an entire year, but the army finally grew to a size large enough to challenge those who would seek to destroy them. _

_In the meantime, the united force had laid siege to city, after city, and had finally reached the capital of Ferrum Urbem itself. The defenders barely held them off, but they were saved when the main army arrived. The two sides crushed the enemy soldiers in between them, and completely consolidated the republic's power over all of the land from coast to coast. _

_In honor of those who had stood firm against the enemy tide, the nation named itself the Ferrum Reipublicae, or Iron Republic."_

* * *

Vectis finished his tale, and looked around the room. Blase and Mayno were mulling over the information they'd just been given, while Gravadora frantically scribbled down the last of his story.

"That is an intriguing history," Abbot Mayno said, quietly, "but it begs the question. Why are you exploring over here?"

Vectis smiled, and said, "We've always wanted to see what was off the edge of our maps. So far, we have only explored at sea." The mouse withdrew a map from a concealed pocket in his chain mail. Unrolling it on the table, he showed them the great Ferrum Reipublicae to the east, as well as several islands in the middle of the ocean.

Vectis placed his paw on the left half of the map, where a coastline was drawn with one dot, marked as Red Shell Cove. "We first arrived on your eastern shores ten seasons ago," he continued, "We established a naval base here at Red Shell Cove. The First Light Infantry Division was deployed to form a massive scouting group comprised of hundreds of squads, each accompanied by one mapmaker. This mapmaker would draw out all of the lands that we explore. When we reach the other coast, we are to head back to the base, where our maps will be put together like puzzle pieces to form a new map of the area. We were also instructed to collect as many maps from the locals as we could to fill in the blanks."

Gravadora smiled at the mouse. "I would be glad to copy one of our maps for you," she said, brightly, "We here at Redwall are always willing to give help to those who ask."

Vectis nodded, and said, "Thank you ma'am. If your map shows the western coastline, then my squad and I can head back home."

Mayno stood, and looked at Vectis. "We will provide you and your squad a place to live for as long as you stay here. You may leave now." Vectis nodded, and walked out.

"Blase," the Abbot said, quietly, "find them a place to stay, would you?"

"Yes, father Abbot," the younger mouse said, before following Vectis out the door. Abbot Mayno smiled, and sat back down. "Gravadora, old friend," he said, "I think I've got an idea."

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_**MoSa: Hope you enjoyed this! Anonymous reviews have been enabled, so everyone can state their opinion! Please review!**_


	3. The Abbot's Proposal

**_Mosan: Hello everyone! I'm sorry about the lateness in this update, but my schedule has really picked up lately. As such, updates will be few and far between. I thank you all for your patience, and ask that you please enjoy this chapter!_**

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The morning sun dawned to find the five soldiers already awake and moving. They were out on the grounds sparring with each other when Blase walked out of the Abbey. He had just woken up, and was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes when a crossbow bolt whistled past his head to clatter off of the sandstone wall behind him.

"Whoah!" Vectis said, jogging up to the shocked abbeymouse, "Sorry about that, Ederra didn't get a lot of shooting practice before we left."

The squirrelmaid in question, was standing, open mouthed as she imagined the carnage she could have caused.

"I...it's alright," Blase said, "Just gave me quite a fright, that's all." Tego stepped forward to comfort Ederra, while Casus and Fortis returned to sparring. "Why are you all up so early?" Blase asked, looking around in shock.

"Two words," Vectis said, slapping Blase on the back, "Military discipline."

Ederra had finally calmed down, and had begun to spar with Tego again. The soldiers were using heavy wooden versions of their swords so that they didn't severely injure each other. The large otter was taking it easy with Ederra, but Casus and Fortis were a different story. The two seasoned warriors were swinging their 'swords' around with great speed and finesse, every lightning fast attack parried and countered by movements becoming more and more ferocious as they continued.

"Hey," Vectis said, noticing Blase's interest in the two, "Do you want to give it a try?"

The mouse looked at the sergeant in puzzlement, "Try what?" he asked.

"Sparring," Vectis replied, grabbing a practice sword, and holding it out to Blase, "It's fun!"

"I...I guess..." Blase trailed off as he took the sword from Vectis. The sergeant grinned, and picked up his own from where it had fallen.

"Have you ever fought before?" he asked, giving the stick a few practice swings.

Blase shook his head, and swung the heavy practice sword around with some difficulty. He tried one of the fancy moves he'd seen Fortis use, and ended up smacking himself on the head. The abbeymouse sat down, hard.

"Are you okay?" Vectis asked, trying to hold back his laughter.

"Yes, I am quite alright," Blase said, irritably, "Let's spar."

Suppressing his amusement, Vectis said, "Whatever you say."

Blase readied himself, and awkwardly swung his weapon. Vectis simply flicked his wooden sword upwards, and easily disarmed Blase. "Nice try," he said, "but I think it's a little too heavy for you."

The abbeymouse shook his head, and picked the wooden sword back up. "I can handle it," he said, defiantly.

Vectis grinned, and readied himself as well. Ten minutes later, Blase was sitting up against the walls of the abbey, sore and exhausted. Casus and Fortis had finally called it quits, and were leaning against trees in the shady orchard. "How do you guys do this kind of stuff?" Blase asked, panting.

"A lot of training, mate," Tego said, smiling, "and a lot of sergeants yelling in our faces." He and Ederra had stopped sparring a few minutes earlier in order to watch Vectis and Blase.

"You were getting better," Vectis said, crouching next to the abbeymouse, "I actually used a little effort the last couple times I disarmed you."

Blase stuck his tongue out at Vectis, but didn't rise from the ground.

Foremole Tern poked his head out of the doorway. "Hurr, Blase. Brekkist be ready, if'n ee wan' sum."

"Thank you, Foremole Tern," Blase said, mustering the effort to stand.

"Boi, okay doke, zurr," the mole said, disappearing into the abbey.

Fortis, who had walked up to hear what the mole had to say, blinked. "What in the name of the seven hills did he just say?!" he exclaimed, eyes wide.

This time, it was Blase's turn to laugh. "He said breakfast is ready," the mouse replied, dusting himself off, "Do any of you understand molespeak?" The entire squad shook their heads. Blase grinned. "Oh," he said, acting surprised, "could it be that the ignorant abbeymouse knows something you all don't?"

"Shutup, Blase," Tego said, without malice, "let's go eat!" He and Fortis ran into the building, Ederra hot on their heels.

"Casus!" Vectis called, "mealtime!" He took off after his comrades. Blase looked at the ferret, who hadn't moved.

"Don't worry," the soldier said, quietly, "I'll be along. Go ahead."

Blase nodded, and entered the building, leaving Casus alone in the orchard.

The ferret reached into his rucksack and pulled out a small journal and a stick of graphite. He opened to a blank page and began to draw a sketch of the Abbey. It was very detailed, with every shadow and crevice drawn perfectly in place, as Redwall would be seen from Casus' position in the orchard.

Once he'd finished, Casus turned back to the very first page. Drawn there was the image of a pretty female ferret holding a newborn child in her arms. Casus kissed his paw, and placed it on the page, before snapping the book shut.

He replaced the items into his pack, and stood. He took one last look at the outside of the Abbey, before walking inside.

* * *

Vectis and the others were already in the dining hall when Blase walked in. Choosing a seat next to Ederra, he began to eat.

The breakfast was simple, but delicious, with oatcakes and honey scones.

After a few minutes, Casus stalked in and made himself a plate. Excusing himself, he took the food into the great hall in order to have some privacy. Blase followed the ferret with his eyes, watching him leave. "He's not very social, is he?" the mouse asked.

Fortis, who had also been watching Casus, just shrugged. "Can't say I blame him," he said, "the poor beast's had a tough career."

Blase raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" he asked, interested.

Vectis looked around to make sure that Casus wasn't in the room, and then leaned in close to Blase. "Originally, they didn't let vermin into the army," he said, "They were considered too untrustworthy. But about 15 seasons ago, they decided to try it out. The General Staff formed one company's worth of soldiers, all vermin, and placed them into the 4th Light Infantry Division under the name of Venus Company."

Tego nodded, "Casus was one of the first recruits there, and they actually created a pretty good reputation for themselves."

Vectis nodded, his eyes vacant as he reminisced. "They fought in the war with the Fire Coast Corsairs," he said, sadly, "until the Battle of Bloodsong Forest."

Blase and Ederra were both curious. "I've heard about that," Ederra said, "but I was really little when it happened."

Tego continued, "Well, the 4th saw some of the bloodiest fighting in that battle, and at one point were completely cut off from the rest of the army after the 2nd Volunteers collapsed on the left flank."

"The 4th was trapped for seven days, surrounded on all sides," Vectis finished, "When the 18th Heavy Infantry finally showed up and broke the enemy entrapment, they discovered that almost the entire 4th Light Infantry had been wiped out, including all but one of the soldiers in Venus Company."

"Casus," Blase said, finally understanding why the ferret was so unfriendly.

"Exactly," Tego said, nodding, "they found Casus in a small fortified position, with over eighty dead enemies in the woods around him."

"He won the Golden Leaf in honor of his actions in the forest," Vectis said, sadly, "And there is no longer a 4th Division in the Light Infantry forces in respect for those who died."

Unbeknownst to the storytellers, almost everyone in the dining hall had stopped what they were doing to listen in on the story. Several sniffs were heard, as they all listened to the sad tale.

Abbot Mayno nodded, and stood from his place at the head of the largest table. "Sergeant Vectis," he said, looking at the soldier in question, "I would like to talk to you in the gatehouse. You too, Brother Blase."

The two mice stood, quizzical looks on their faces, and stepped out behind the abbot.

Casus, who had been eating alone in the Great Hall, looked up and raised an eyebrow. Vectis waved his hand once, and the ferret returned to his meal without a word.

* * *

Once they arrived in the gatehouse, Abbot Mayno gestured for the two mice to sit down.

After taking his own seat behind the desk, he cleared his throat. "As you know, Brother Blase, Redwall Abbey has prided itself on being a haven of safety, peace, and knowledge. However, throughout our history there have been those who have gone above and beyond the mere quest of knowledge. They have left the safety of our walls, and experienced the world outside, bringing their knowledge back to our abbey. In this spirit, I have decided to ask you, Brother Blase, to go on such a mission. If the sergeant agrees, I would like you to accompany him and his squad back to their home country."

Blase widened his eyes, gaping at his abbot. "Are you serious?" he asked.

Mayno nodded.

"OF COURSE I'LL GO!" Blase shouted, practically jumping out of his seat.

Vectis looked over at Blase, and stood. "Abbot Mayno," he said, calmly, "I agree to take Blase with me and my squad back to my home." He looked over at Blase. "We leave tomorrow. Go and get some sleep."

The abbeymouse walked out, almost skipping with excitement.

Vectis turned back to the Abbot. "I cannot guarantee that he will come out of this unharmed," the sergeant said, "We may have explored the world, but it is far from tamed."

The Abbot nodded. "Risk is a necessary part of life," he said, his eyes twinkling, "I only ask that you try your best to keep Blase alive."

Vectis nodded, and turned to leave. "Oh," he said, turning back, "If you have any weapons here, I'd suggest you give Blase one. He'll probably find a lot of use for it."

Mayno smiled. "I have something in mind..."

* * *

Lord Kyrien breathed in deeply, and grinned. He controlled the largest horde in all of the north lands, and the numbers grew every day.

The large fox smiled evilly down at the young squirrelmaid, bound in the snow at his paws. "Tell me where ye are from, lass," he said, bringing his face close to hers, "Or you'll end up like yer friends over there."

The four bodies of the maiden's traveling companions lay crumpled on the ground where he'd had them executed.

It had been a lucky break, really. An entire squad of soldiers asleep around a fire. Their map had been very...enlightening, to say the least.

The only reason this squirrel was still alive was because she could read the map better than any other beast.

"F...Fer...Ferrum Reipublicae," the small squirrel, who's name was Erin, stuttered out.

"Is that so?" Kyrien said, laughing heartily, "Whereabouts would this place be?"

The squirrel shakily pointed out to sea. "Across the ocean," she said, shivering, "on another continent."

Lord Kyrien laughed again, and picked the maiden up by her bonds. "Congratulations, lass!" he said, evilly, "you're going to take me all the way back to your home!"

He turned to one of his rat lieutenants. "Get our searats to make some ships!" he ordered, "We're about to take a trip!"

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**_Mosan: Hope you enjoyed this! Your opinion is appreciated, so review!_**


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